Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has called for his table-toppers to prove they are as tough to beat on the road as they are at home.

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has called for his table-toppers to prove they are as tough to beat on the road as they are at home.

The Bluebirds start 2013 with a trip to Birmingham today holding a five-point lead at the Championship summit thanks to their back-to-back home wins over Crystal Palace and Millwall.

In front of their own supporters Mackay’s men have been in incredible form with 12 wins out of 13, only a shock reverse to struggling Peterborough blotting their copybook.

Away from home, though, things have not been straightforward for Cardiff with five defeats on the road so far and 21 goals leaked in the process.

However, the Bluebirds of late do seem to have arrested the away day blues that saw heavy reverses at Bristol City, Crystal Palace and Charlton.

Cardiff are now unbeaten away in four encounters and have won their last two, with an excellent 1-0 win at Leicester on the last away day.

As his side head to face a Birmingham side languishing down in 20th right now, Mackay is urging his players to prove their away day woes are very much a thing of the past.

“I hope it is something we are making progress on. If you lose goals in games away from home it causes you issues,” said Mackay.

“You have to make sure you are constantly trying to get rid of those errors.

“I think five coming in one game, four in another, and three in another makes for not nice reading on those days.

“But, as the season has gone on, certainly in the last few away games, we have addressed that issue.

“I like to think we have tightened up and we’ve got a bit more steel about us than we had earlier in the season.

“Recently we have been a bit harder to beat away from home – and we have to be like that if we are going to do anything in this league.

“You must have a reasonably good away record as well as a home record.”

Cardiff go into the new year knowing history is on their side, the team topping the Championship on January 1 being promoted in the last seven seasons.

But, with plenty of football still to be played, Mackay said his players would be taking nothing for granted as Cardiff seek to put recent promotion push disappointments behind them.

Mackay has a virtually full squad to pick from today with only striker Nicky Maynard still out with a long-term knee injury and Tommy Smith nearly over a hamstring strain.

Smith will not be risked today, but should return for the FA Cup tie at Macclesfield on Saturday.

Next page: More from the team

“I want more of the same from the team. There’s a confidence and energy about the group right now,” said Mackay.

“You go out there and treat every team in this division as if playing against them is a cup final.

“Every game we play from now until the end of the season is a cup final.

“We go out there as we have from day one of the season and respect every team.

“Do your homework as far as you can, cover all bases and go into the game with a plan and try to execute it.

“We have to make sure we work as hard as them, harder right the way through to the 95th minute. Nothing changes now.”

Birmingham are still smarting from Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Bolton where towering Serbian frontman Nikola Zigic was sent off.

With Zigic suspended today and Blues boss Lee Clark short of goals in his team, Cardiff will start as clear favourites.

But Mackay said: “Birmingham are a club with a rich history having been in the top division for many years.

“They’ve had their own well-documented issues over the last couple of years.

“But you look through the squad and there are experienced players there.

“There’s been a change of management and Lee has a good track record.

“He’s not been in the door long and I would imagine eventually he will get the group he wants.

“That will be something that will happen in time, but they have already had some good results this year.”

Despite seeing his side sitting top of the Championship, Mackay said he is looking to add to his options with the January transfer window now open.

Another striker might be needed to bolster options up front as well as at least one defender, but Mackay – who brought in 10 players last summer – admitted he was not the biggest fan of the January window.

“We will certainly be looking for players,” he said.

“But if we are going to bring players in there has to be a reason.

“They have to add to the group, they can’t just be here to fill out the numbers.

“I want to bring the right type of people in here too.

“January is not a particularly good time in terms of value for money.

“Unless it’s for crazy money a lot of clubs don’t want to let out good players.

“Sometimes the amount paid has no relevance to the player. Teams think about having a little auction going on.

“You do pay premium. Sometimes financially things don’t stack up and sometimes you just cannot get the player you want.

“We are scouring and speaking to people, but it will only be the right type if they do come in.”

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Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has put a left-back and a striker at the top of his wish-list for the January transfer window, as the Bluebirds look to cement their position as Championship pace-setters.

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